Image source: memorise.org

Image source: memorise.org

I was walking without shoes on the other day. No socks, either. The ground under my feet was rocky and sharp, forcing me to take slow, tentative steps. At the time, I remember thinking that I should walk barefoot more often. My feet had grown soft, sensitive, protected by form-fitting socks, cushioned running shoes, fluffy house slippers, and soft carpet. They were unmarked by exposure and ill-equipped to weather rough surfaces. I needed to expose my feet to surfaces they weren't used to, to toughen them up.

But I didn't just feel this way about my feet. I felt this way about the rest of my body too, about my life. I, too, had grown soft, comfortable in routine, safe and protected by habit. Like the soles of my feet, I was unmarked by exposure to new and different things.

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It's no surprise, really. It's very easy, once we've found a routine that suits us, to settle in, sometimes for years. The unconscious (or conscious) intention is to minimize difficulty, limit unwelcome surprises, and maintain a sense of control. We know that there are new things out there—new foods, new exercises, new friends, new places to go—but we tell ourselves we are better off without them. In the meantime, we grow soft, letting instincts grow weak.

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Even though many of us struggle with letting go of routine, on some level, we also crave new experiences. Though it can bring on all sorts of uncomfortable feelings—fear, stress, shyness, hesitancy, worry, doubt, inadequacy—trying something new will wake you up from the habit of routine.

Even if it's something small, an activity you wouldn't normally recognize as new, it can give you an entirely new perspective. Instead of driving somewhere, take the bus, or walk. Go out to dinner, or go to a movie, all by yourself. Read a book you wouldn't normally read. Try a new recipe. Sign up for a 5k. Turn off your cell phone,  your computer, your television, your iPad. Wake up an hour earlier. Go to the beach and watch the sun set. Go camping—in a tent—without any showers, electricity, or television. Slowly redefine your comfort zone and pay attention to how it makes you feel.

In this way, you'll learn to challenge your limits, you'll "toughen up", and you'll find strength and courage you didn't know you had. Your confidence will grow, and you'll build flexibility and durability into your life. Instead of being soft and ill-equipped, you'll be ready for whatever rough surfaces come your way.

 

 

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